Propeller



0cm, 1929. y EJWATSON 1,729,974

PPPPPPPP R Oct. l, 1929.

E. J. WATSON PROPELLER Filed April 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,f im F w Jai Patented Oct. 1, i 1929 UNITED srfluazs EDWARD' J. WATSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROPELLER vapplicati@,flied Apfn 20,

Broadly this invention relates to propellers, but it more especially comprehends the side-Wheel or paddle type for propelling vessels. v

' An important object of ythis invention is the provision of propeller means for driving vessels either forwards or backwards without changing the' direction of the propeller travel. i

n Another obj ect of this invention is the provision of a propeller means comprising an endless chain having a plurality of paddles or vanes foldable intoy substantial parallelism therewith.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a propeller of thischaracter having means operable to simultaneously render the paddles inoperative during their course of travel on one section of the chain and operative on the opposite section to drive the vessel forwardly or backwardly as desired, without changing the direction of travel of the chain. l 'v Vith these and other objects in view,

which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, 1 combination kand arrangement yof parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the propeller mechanism and housing mounted thereon with one side removed and showing thepaddles in operative position to drive the vessel forward; s n Fig. 2 is a similar viewtoFig. 1 showing the housing elevated and the paddles extended to operative position to drive the vessel in the opposite direction;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the housing; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of a form of paddle with strengthening strut or brace;

' Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of one of the paddles and brace retaining means; taken on the line 5--1'5 of Fig. 4;

19m'. semi no. 185,230.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of one end of the paddle brace member;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the motors and associated means for raising and lowering the housing; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of one form of housing. y

I am aware that there are many types of propellers in use, but none with which I am familiar are capable of driving a vessel in opposite directions without reversing the direction ofthe propeller travel, andV it was vto overcome such deficiency, and to provide an eliicient yet simple means for controlling the propeller to drive a vessel in either di* rectionv without interrupting or changing the direction of travel of the propeller, that I designed thedevice forming the subject matter of this invention. K

In the villustrated embodiment character izing this invention there is shown an endless propeller chain 5 adapted to travel kover a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 6 mounted on and suitably secured to drive shafts 7'. l Chain 5 is formed with sprocket links 8 adapted to engage the sprockets 9 of sprocketvvheels 6,

and connecting links 10 having outstanding portions 11 to which are rotatably and suit- .I

lably secured paddles or vanes 12, as at 13.

Thel said outstanding portions 11 are formed with lateral projections 14l4 adapted to limit the`backward movement of the paddles 12.

While in connection with the lighter types of craft, a single chain and paddle structure as above described on each 'side of the craft is sufficient; in connection with the heavier type, it might be of advantage touse instead of one chain, two chains spaced kfrom 'each other constituting a double chain unit on each side *of the'ship, and in which case a .slightly modified form of paddle 12 is'employed, one end ofthe said paddle being se-` cured to one chain as at 13 and the opposite vendsinfiilarl s cu dt th th 45 section of the chain Yillustrating a modified y E re O e 0 er Cham' Se cured to the rear side ofthe paddle 12 in any suitable' manner adjacent each end is a re'- cesszed channeled member 15 adapted to receive the slidableYT-head 16 of the brace 17 having itsouter end hingedly secured to the link portion 11 also at 13.

reciprocation of the said housing.

It will be observed that as the paddle 12 is brought to inoperative position the T-head 16 will slidably traverse the channel member permitting the brace and paddle to both rest in substantial parallelism with the chain, similar to the paddle 12, and when the paddle is again extended the Thead will have reached the bottom of the member 15 elfecting al firm support for said paddle.

A vertically movable housing 18 is adapted to embrace the chain unit and of a diameter exceeding that of the parallel sections of the chains substantially equal to the length of the paddles when extended so that vertical movement of the housing will collapse or fold to inoperative position the paddles on one of the parallel sections of the chains 5 and permit extension of those on the opposite sections to operative position.

The sides of the housing 18 may be formed with laterally extending flanges 19 connected by suitable braces or latticework 20. However, it is to be understood that the bottom, top and sides may be open or closeddependent upon the particular type of craft in connection with which employed. For instance, if installed in an airship thetop should be closed so as to present so much more plane surface to the air in flight.

Suitably secured to the sides of the housing spaced `from either end lis a vertical standard 21, the side member and standard being provided with a slot 22 to receive the outer and reduced end of the shaft 7 to permit vert'ilcal he standards 21 extend above the housing and to the upper end of each is secured by bolt or other suitable fastening element 23 a rack 2A.

A motor 25 is employed at each end of the housing 1.8 suitably secured to the vessel and having a drive shaft 26 extending transverse of the housing, the free ends of which carry pinions 27 adapted to mesh with the oppositely positioned racks 24 to raise and lower the housing to thereby simultaneously and alternately collapse or fold the paddles as they traverse the respective upper and lower sections of the housing. While l have mentioned two motors in connection with each chain, it is to be understood that by suitably connecting the standards 21, if desired one motor only may be employed therewith` Though the operation of the device would seem to be clear from the above description, it might be well to state, that the chains 5 always travel in the same direction, that is, the upper sections toward the Vbow and the lower sections toward the stern, and the direction of travel of the vessel is exactly opposite to the direction of travel of the sections of the chains having their paddles operative. For instance, when thehousing is in lowered position the paddles carried by the lower sect-ions of the chains are in extended or operative position, and as they travel toward the stern the craft is propelled forwardly in the direction of the arrow. Then when the housing is raised rendering the lower sections inoperative the upper sections become operative, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and as they travel toward the bow the craft is driven in the opposite direction. It is `also apparent that the direction of travel of the vessel may be reversed easily by alternate operation of the housings causing the operative paddles in one housing to travel in the opposite direction from those in the other.

llt is apparent from the foregoing, that I have designed a propeller mechanism of simple construction comprising novel control means, manufacturable at a reasonable cost, and etlcient for the purpose intended.

ln practice l have found the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying l, drawings and referred to 1n the above de-L scription as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the prin- ,Y

ciples of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims:

' 1. The combination with a vessel, of a propeller comprising an endless chain constituting upper and lower sections, aV plurality of paddles hingedly connected to said chain, a housing embracing said chain and operable to simultaneously render the paddles inoper-4 ative o n the upper section of the chain and operative on the lower section to drive the Vvessel in one direction, said housing being oppositely operable with respect to the sections to drive the vessel in the other direction without changing the direction of travel of the chain.

2. The combination with a vessel, of a propeller comprising a pair of endless chains constituting upper and lower sections, a plurality of paddles interconnecting the chains, a housing embracing the chains and operable to simultaneously render the paddles on the lower section inoperative and those on the in one direction, and oppositely operable to render the paddles on the upper section inoperative and those on the lower section operative todrive the vessel in the other direction, without changing the direction of travel of the chain. y f

3. The combination with a vessel, of a pair of endless chains, a plurality of propeller blades interconnecting the chains and hingedly connected thereto, brace members hingedly connected to the chains and slidably connected ico Vupper section operative to propel the vessel Y to the blades, a housing adapted toembrace the chains and blades and operable to collapse the blades as they travel over a certain section of the housing to drive the vessel in one direction, and operable to simultaneously release said collapsed blades and to collapse those with respect to a different section, to drive the vessel in the opposite direction.

4. The combination With a vessel, of a pair of endless `drive chains constituting upper and lower parallel sections, a plurality of propeller paddles interconnecting the chains and hingedly connected thereto, a housing surrounding the chains and paddles and of a greater diameter than that of the sections, means for effecting vertical reciprocation of the housing to simultaneously render operative and inoperative the paddles on the respective sections alternately, to drive the 2o vessel either in one direction or the other.

5. The combination With a vessel, of a pair of endless chains on each side of the vessel, a plurality of paddles interconnecting each pair of chains and oldable With respect thereto, a housing adapted to Vhouse each pair of chains, means for effecting vertical movement of the housinfrs in one direction to simultaneously fold t e paddles With respect to certain sections of the chains to inoperative position and permit extension to operative position of those on the opposite sections to -drive the vessel in one direction, and oppositely movable to drive the vessel in the other direction, said housings being alternately operable to cause the operative paddles in the respective housings to travel in opposite directions to e'ect reversal in direction of travel of the vessel.

EDWARD J. WATSON.

Cil 

